Laceration Prevention

March 11, 2014

Robert SelveySafety & Health Services Division

Personal Protective Equipment SME

Hazards that create lacerations

Tools with sharp surfaces Knives Razor blade tools (paint scrappers, box

cutter, Extacto®) Saws

Surfaces with sharp edges & burrs Sheet metal with sharp, serrated edges Metal tubing burrs Glass edges and shards Thin surfaces- metal, paper, plastic

Protection by: Removal or covering sharp edges & Gloves (PPE)

Metal burr A raised edge or small pieces of material remaining on a work piece. Created after machining operations, such as grinding, drilling,

milling, engraving or turning. It is removed by de-burring- Manual; Electrochemical; Thermal

energy; & Cryogenic

Punctures

Some likely sources to be considered in the surveillance:

Cut end of wire

Broken Glass/ Plastic

Barb Wire

Metal tubes, wire, pipes

Puncture PPE is different from Laceration PPE.

Protectsharp pointsSome likely controls to be considered in the surveillance: Barriers Covers

Traditional Cutting Tools What they have in common:

BLADE IS EXPOSED even when it is not in contact with the cutting material

Somewhat safer Cutting Tools

What they have in common:

Tool has a trigger. The blade is exposed only when the trigger is engaged. But you must take pressure off the trigger for the blade to retract.

Better tools that Lower Risk Safety features are automatic:

Blade self-retractsBlade is shielded when not cutting

As blade come further out based on friction with material being cut, Clutch on blade disengages. If friction is lost, blade snaps back in.

Safety Level Chart for TOOLS

5 levels of safety in tools

Level 5

Hazardous during:• Picking Up• Use• Storage

Level 4

• Safe during pickup• Hazardous during use• Safe storage

Level 3• Safe during picking up • Lower Hazard during use• Safe during storage

Level 2

No Hazard duringpicking up, use, or storage

Level 5

Manually Retractable & Fixed Blade KnifesNo Safety Features

Level 4

Spring Loaded Retractable Blade Knifes

Some Safety provided

Level 3

Smart KnifesAuto Retractable Blade Safety cannot be over-ridden under normal use

Level 2

Concealed Blade Safety Cutters Unexposed blade, can not be overridden under normal use

Level 1

Bladeless Safety Cutters No metal blades, can not be overridden under normal use

Safest Least Safe

Level 1

No metal blades

Recommended Safety Cutters

Several alternative style cutting devices were evaluated in 2012, including:

Level 3: Self Retracting blade Martego 122001 Megasafe 116006

Level 2: Concealed blade Combi 109137

Cut Resistant gloves Meet ASTM standards Best gloves are made of man-made

fibers Kevlar, Spectra, Dyneema; Steel

Gloves that are subject to cut risk (do not meet Cut Resistant criteria)

Cotton; Leather, Nylon

Cut Protective Gloves

Cut Resistant GlovesUsed for sheet metal handling and glass handling.

Kevlar® aramid fiber, 5x stronger than steel by weight. Flame, cut, and heat-resistance.

Spectra® polyethylene fiber that offers high cut-resistance, even when wet. Its 10X stronger than steel by weight.

Dyneema® polyethylene fiber up to 15x stronger than quality steel by weight and up to 40% stronger than aramid fibers.

Metal Mesh interlocked stainless steel mesh offers superior cut and puncture protection due to its strength. Poor comfort and fit. Conducts cold and heat.

Manufacturers use ASTM F-1790 for measuring cut protection Scale 0 – 6: Level 0 (least protective) to Level 6 (most protective).

3 - 4

3 – 4

3 – 4

6

Cloth gloves Cotton or nylon

woven fiber Dipped fabric

• Low cost, •Moderately durable, •Good for gripping if coated, •Poor to Fair laceration resistance•Poor for abrasion resistance•Very poor puncture resistanceScale: 0 - 1

Leather Gloves

Deerskin Pig skin Goat skin Horse hide Cow hide

•Cost more than cotton, •Fair for gripping, • Low laceration resistanceScale 0 - 1•Very durable from abrasion,•High puncture resistant (best)

Cut Resistance

ConclusionsEliminate injuries from lacerations by:

Removing Sharp Surfaces (deburring and covering) Using Safer Tools that reduce the exposure to sharp blades Wearing PPE that is cut resistant

SURVEILLANCEEvaluate situations to determine hazards & corrective measures